IBN 19 (2021) - Appointment of Senior Volunteer Advisor
Congratulations to Gp Cpt Pass (for 2 weeks time) I think this is a positive step and brings someone of equal standing to the RCs onto the Command Board to speak from the Volunteer Perspective.
It’s another route for OC Wings other than Region Aviation / Region Senior Staff Officer other than retirement onto CivCom which is the other common route.
That does seem like good progress in getting volunteers’ voice heard at the right levels. I assume Gp Capt Pass is an ex-Wg Cdr? The IBN could have provided a bit more about their background.
Ohhh, interesting!
I don’t recall seeing this previously advertised.
No clue who Gp Cpt Pass is, but hopefully a decent person for the role!
Does this mean he holds a CFC in the rank of Gp Cpt or something else?
I think it would of only been advertised among Wg Cdrs
Quick search of the Global Address List shows that this is currently Wg Cdr A Pass MBE who is OC South East Midlands.
MBE was awarded in the QBHL last week!
Well congratulations all round for them! 
I had always assumed that, like RAF VR(T), Wg Cdr was the most senior rank possible 
(although did the ‘old’ Army Cadet ranks go up to Colonel?)
It changed in an ACP update a while back to say that Gp Capts could be appointed I think.
I don’t think that’s an actual rule as such, just that until now there were no volunteer roles at a higher rank in the scaling as per ACP20.
Carol Voderman is also a CFC Group Captain albeit honorary
It’s interesting that the board for this role wasn’t solely RAFAC based with DACOS Reserves also involved.
I wonder if Comdt AC had to get this approved by AOC 22 or was fully in his remit.
Dont get me wrong, this is a good thing.
But are they really equal standing with the RC’s?
From memory I am pretty sure that CFC officers who hold the same rank as a Reg/Reserve officer, are “outranked” by that person?
This is a very positive move. Good to see the commandant acknowledging volunteers and their input at the highest levels, and good the the wider RAF/Reserves agreed to it too. Good move!
This is a good change as it improves the rank structure.
I too was under the impression that it was a written rule that the highest volunteer rank could only be Wg Cdr. Maybe this was removed with the CFC? Anyone have info.
Couple of points…
I see he is “acting gp capt” is this because its not substantive yet or because its acting unpaid?
The ibn made no reference to term of appointmen. This will be interesting to know. Bet there are a few miserable Wg cdrs this morning!
Likelihood of this becoming a regular thing? More than 1?
Hope he does a good job… positive steps towards removing some dead wood this way.
Wonder if location in relative proximity to Cranwell was a factor… cant see a Wg cdr in highlands being appointed…
All in, good stuff.
Those are going to be some chunky rank slides with the RAF Air Cadets titles too.
I suspect that’s because we are all substantive Plt Off or Fg Off and everything above that is acting.
It probably also helps with the comms to the wider RAF that this volunteer post is ‘only acting’. An appointment as senior as a Group Capt RAFAC will probably raise a few eyebrows.
Now this precedent is set I wonder if it opens up the possibility of other roles (RC/COS) being opened up to CFC holders?
without knowing / understanding the legalities, I’d expect that the RC / COS are defined as being RAF/RAFR, and if our substantive ranks are only FO could one transfer their commission and get an immediate 4 rank promotion? 
It’s the duty holder element that would prevent CFC doing it… Their head can be on the chopping block under military law where as CFC can’t. It would mean making it a VRT role, but given we do that for AEF means it isn’t out the realm of possibility
They’ve been batting around the idea of having a Volunteer Group Captain on the Command Board for years, nice to see it’s finally happened.
And it’s gone to a really great officer too. Worked with him in the past.
People keep saying this, but I was a duty holder when I was a CCF Contingent Commander.